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Friday, March 29, 2024

Kitchen confidential

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I am not ashamed to admit it. I have always been enamored with the idea of brunch. It is, after all, the best of breakfast and lunch combined into a singular extravaganza. I love the unhurried leisureliness of a late morning meal, especially after a week of stress at home and at work. There is singular joy in being able to sleep in and not having to rush through a cup of coffee and, for this Mom, more often than not, having to deal with surly children being packed off to school.

SUSIE BORROMEO MILNE
Mother, Culinary Enthusiast
and Businesswoman

I often have had visons of that perfect brunch: fresh croissants, warm and flaky in a beautiful basket, waiting to be made spectacular with a dollop of homemade mango jam. My Grandmom’s Sour Cream Cinnamon Apple Coffee Cake would take center stage on the buffet. Eggs, scrambled perfectly, served with slices of smoked salmon. There would be a ham, baked with my favorite Pomegranate Jalapeño glaze (thank you Food & Wine Magazine for the recipe…it is the best!). I would have fresh fruit juices and bottles of bubbly for the adults to mix mimosas. Center to all of this would be family and friends all together, eating, chatting, enjoying each other.

Unfortunately, in my household on any given day, it is never that simple. One finicky eater doesn’t eat eggs, another won’t touch anything “strange”. Waffles and pancakes are on the approved list and while bacon seems to be the glue that binds the children, I must admit to having had to referee a “rasher war” more than once. Bacon arbitration is definitely not on the list of weekend zen activities! Reality often means that the children like to sleep in and come down to eat whenever they get up. Brunch days are, however, special days!

I take great pleasure in bringing family and friends together for whatever reason: a birthday, a holiday, a celebrated success. Having them over to my house for brunch continues a long tradition of creating memories, strengthening the ties that bind us all together over some really good food and drink. Frankly, one of the best things about hosting brunch is that it is such casual entertaining!

Over the years, I have come to realize that the secret to a successful brunch is quite simple: good food + good company = the very best of times. Just don’t forget the bubbly!

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GRANDMOM’S CINNAMON APPLE COFFEE CAKE

STREUSEL TOPPING

• 1 cup walnuts, toasted • ½ cup brown sugar, packed • 2 tablespoons All Purpose Flour • 2 tablespoons butter, cut into bits

FILLING

• 2 cups Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces • 1 tablespoon sugar • 1 teaspoon cinnamon • 1 teaspoon lemon juice

CAKE

• ¾ Cup sour cream • ¼ Cup whole milk • 2 ¾ Cups All Purpose Flour • 1 teaspoon baking powder • 1 teaspoon baking soda • ¾ teaspoon salt • 1 Cup unsalted butter, room temperature • 1 Cup sugar • ¾ Cup brown sugar, packed • 3 large eggs • 1 teaspoon lemon juice • Zest of ½ lemon • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 For the streusel topping: Chop the walnuts finely and toss with the flour, sugar and cinnamon. Cut the butter into the mixer using 2 knives until small clumps begin to form. Alternatively, use a food processor to chop the nuts together with the dry ingredients then add the butter pulsing until small clumps appear. This can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and store in the refrigerator.

2 For the filling: Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.

3 For the cake: Preheat oven to 350® F. Butter a 13” x 9” glass baking dish.

4 In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream and the milk.

5 In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

6 Cream together the butter and the sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the lemon juice, lemon zest and the vanilla extract.

7 Beat in the dry ingredients alternately with the sour cream mixture in 3 parts each, mixing just until smooth.

8 Spread half of the batter into the prepared pan. Spoon the apple filling over the batter. Spread the remaining batter over the apples. Sprinkle with the streusel topping.

9 Bake in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes or until the tester comes out clean. If the top starts to brown too quickly, cover the cake with some tin foil.

POMEGRANATE JALAPEÑO GLAZED HAM

(Adapted from Food & Wine Magazine)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 7-lb bone-in, spiral-cut • smoked ham • 1 cup chicken stock • 20 whole cloves • 1 cup jalapeño jelly • 1 cup sweetened pomegranate juice • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon • 1/4 tsp ground ginger

1 Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F / 150 degrees C.

2 Place the ham in a large roasting pan and add the chicken stock. Stud the ham all over with cloves.

3 In a medium saucepan, bring the jalapeño jelly, pomegranate juice and lemon juice to a boil. Simmer over moderate medium heat until slightly thickened, 10 minutes.

4 Whisk in the mustard, cinnamon and ginger until reduced to about 1¼ cups, about 5 minutes.

5 Drizzle half of the glaze over the ham and cover with foil. Roast for 1½ hours, basting frequently, until the top is lightly caramelized. Transfer to a platter. Discard the cloves. Pour the pan juices into a bowl and serve with the ham. Serves 12

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